Gilles Peterson is a DJ, radio presenter and record label owner, born in 1964 and based in the United Kingdom, with origins in Caen. He is associated with acid jazz and nu jazz, and works across a broad range of styles including jazz, electronic and chillout.

Career

Peterson starts out in pirate radio in the early 1980s, working on several stations including Solar. He also hosts jazz-focused weekend sessions at Camber Sands and club nights at Soho’s Whisky a Go Go. He later gains a slot on Radio London after Brian Priestly leaves a jazz DJ position, and builds his profile in London through radio and by presenting the Talking Loud & Saying Something sessions at Dingwalls in Camden.

He then moves to Kiss FM before joining BBC Radio 1 in 1998. His radio work is known for its wide selections, ranging from dub and reggae through jazz, soul, neo soul, R&B, drum and bass, house, broken beat, hip-hop and jazz-funk.

Labels and releases

Peterson runs and is associated with labels including Acid Jazz, Talkin’ Loud, Brownswood Recordings, INCredible Records and BBC Radio 1. Through Acid Jazz and Talkin’ Loud, he is linked with the careers of many notable artists of the 1990s. He also releases a number of compilations of his own selections, including INCredible Sound of Gilles Peterson and Gilles Peterson in Africa, as well as earlier Talkin’ Loud compilations focused on acid and Latin jazz.

Associated acts

He is connected with Gilles Peterson’s Havana Cultura Band and STR4TA.

Style

Peterson is known for eclectic programming and for moving across genres rather than specialising in one narrow style.